Hooked Up - DLO JamJacket Game

Welcome to Hooked Up, the Gaming Nexus series that puts the spotlight on gaming related products that impact the Video Game experience. This week we take a look at DLO’s Jam Jacket Game for the iPhone and iPod Touch.

What is it?
The DLO Jam Jacket Game is a custom-molded silicone sleeve for either the iPod Touch or iPhone that is designed to provide better grip for hand-held gaming.

Impressions
I have tested many accessories for gaming gear over the years, and sometimes the most simple turns out to be one of the best. This ended up being the case with the DLO Jam Jacket Game. Initially, I was expecting just another silicone case that was being marketed to “gamers”, but I was surprised to find something that had a lot of thought put into the design elements of it.

Basically, the Jam Jacket Game provides two important things for gamers, comfort and grip. The comfort comes from the ergonomically designed back, which has raised areas to curl your fingers from both hands around. This allows for a firm grip while letting your thumbs do most of the touch screen action. Also, the silicone material is not slick and coupled with a textured back, does not move around in your hands. More on this below, but while using the Jam Jacket Game, I was able to significantly improve my scores and gaming abilities.

Another important note that shouldn’t be overlooked is that the Jam Jacket Game allows access to every single iPod Touch and iPhone port and button. There are a surprisingly high number of covers that do not do this simple, ye important functionality. I was able to plug in any charger, headphone or use any button without an issue.

Pros
Provides excellent grip
Priced less than direct competitors
Full access to all iPhone and iPod Touch buttons and openings

Cons
A little bulkier than you would like
Included screen protector not conducive to touch sensitive devices

Gaming Impact
Having spent much time with my iPod Touch and my wife’s iPhone prior to adding the DLO Jam Jacket Game, I can say that this case makes a huge difference in how I play games. Regardless of whether I had a case, or was going bareback, there simply isn’t a good place to hold with your fingers while playing games in horizontal mode. With the Jam Jacket Game, the case provides two raised areas you can lock onto with your four fingers while letting your thumbs roam the screen to handle any button pressing. It actually allows the iPod or iPhone to be handled like you were texting with a Qwerty, which most of us are very comfortable with. I think the biggest endorsement came on games where I was using the Accelerometer, as my control and scores have gotten much better since I installed the Jam Jacket Game.

The Skinny
DLO has created one of the best “silicone boots” for Apple devices that I have ever tested. The Jam Jacket Game is tough, easy to handle and offers superior protection for your iPhone or iPod Touch. The only drawbacks I found are that it is a bit bulkier than most cases due to the grips on the back and the included screen protector is a film of plastic which impacts the touch sensitivity of the iPhone or iPod Touch. Having said that, this would be a strong addition to any iPhone or iPod Touch despite having the word “game” in its title, as it does everything any user would want regardless of what they use their Apple product for.

Miscellaneous Items of Note
• Includes screen protector
• Comes with a removable wrist strap
• Available in different colors which are retailer specific

Testing Methodology
The DLO Jam Jacket Game was tested with a 2nd Gen iPod Touch and an iPhone 3GS.

Where to Find/BuyDLO’s Jam Jacket Game can be found at Best Buy, Wal-Mart and numerous other online stores for $10 - $20.

If you have a gaming related product or accessory that you would like to see featured in Hooked Up, please contact the Author regarding inclusion.

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* The product in this article was sent to us by the developer/company for review.